Students go the distance…to Disney World

Published 7:00 pm, Saturday, December 27, 2008

It's a long hike from Midland to Orlando, Fla., but the students at Chippewassee Elementary School are making it look like child's play.

The administration at Chippewassee teamed up recently with The Dow Chemical Co.'s new Healthy Work Force Team to implement a walking program for the school's students.

And the results have been impressive.

The theme of the program is "Wildcat Walkateers: Going to Disney," and the goal is for the students collectively to walk 1,350 miles - roughly the distance from the school to Disney World in Orlando.

Following last Tuesday, the kids had already traversed a combined total of 964.50 miles, which places them in southern Georgia on the map outside the school's main office.

"We want them (the students) to see how they can be healthy for the rest of their lives, and this is just a starting point," said Chippewassee Principal Bridget Hockemeyer. "Our hope is that maybe they'll incorporate exercise into their daily lives."

The program got underway when Cathy Mapes, a former Chippewassee parent and current Dow Healthy Work Force Team member, approached Hockemeyer in August about partnering in a project which would get the students active.

Mapes said Chippewassee used to have a walking program but had abandoned it several years ago.

"When my kids were there, there was kind of a lull in parent-volunteer help … so we started cutting back on some of the fun things," Mapes noted. " … Essentially, our (Healthy Work Force) Team said we want to start it up again and coordinate it and provide incentives for kids and have fun on our lunch hour."

The Healthy Work Force Team has been providing volunteers every Tuesday and Thursday since September to monitor the students as they walk during their lunch break. Four circuits around the school building equals about one mile, and Mapes has kept detailed records of every student's and every class's mileage.

"I think the best part is the mentoring between the adults (volunteers) and the students," she said. "The kids love to see them when they're walking around the building, and the adults love getting off the job site and coming to the school."

Hockemeyer added that the students also enjoy receiving public recognition for their efforts.

"In the morning, when I read their names over the announcements, it kind of gets them pumped up and excited to walk," she noted.

The purpose of the Healthy Work Force Team, Mapes said, is to do community outreach projects which address health issues. After some brainstorming, the team decided that childhood obesity was one of the first topics they wanted to tackle.

To give the students added incentive to participate, the team awards them certificates and prizes - such as Disney-related pens and pencils, books, stickers, and other school supplies - for every five miles they walk individually.

When a class reaches 100 miles collectively, it is awarded a copy of the Disney Globe Book, which is shaped like a globe and contains world information.

When the school reached the halfway mark to Orlando around Thanksgiving, every class was given a "popcorn and a movie" party, with the kids allowed to choose from a variety of Disney films.

Mapes said the Disney theme was a natural fit.

"All kids like Disney, and there are a lot of Disney-related incentives out there," she noted. " … It's kind of a win-win situation, because kids can relate to Disney, and (Disney World) is just about the right distance away (that we had in mind)."

Mapes said that 209 of Chippewassee's 226 students are participating. She added that four individuals have already reached the 15-mile mark, while 21 others have walked 10 miles and another 56 have earned their five-mile certificates.

One of those students is Drew Hanson, a fourth-grader in Venman's class who has logged over 10 miles.

"I walk every day," said Hanson, adding that he also does push-ups at home to stay in shape.

Kaitlyn Stymiest, a fifth-grader in Donna Fischer's class, said she has walked about 15 miles at school and also tries to stay active at home - albeit in a creative way.

"I like to jump on my bed when I listen to music," Stymiest said. "It's fun."

Alexyss DeLong, a fourth-grader in Jessica Bean's class, has walked about two miles at school and is aiming to walk at least five eventually. She, too, has her own special way of staying active at home.

"I chase after my (twin) brothers, which is exercise," DeLong pointed out with a big smile.

With the students poised to reach Disney World probably sometime next month, the challenge soon will be coming up with something new to keep the program going.

"It's not going to stop once we get to Disney," Hockemeyer said of the partnership with the Healthy Work Force Team.

Mapes agreed that her team would like to continue the partnership with Chippewassee and also expand throughout the area.

"Some of the Dow volunteers say this is the best hour they spend all week," she noted. " … Really, our goal is to get something in place in every elementary school near (Dow Chemical's) Michigan Operations."